Improved device for stretching the wires of fences



. ROB|NSON & BEHEL.

Wire Stretcher.

No. 44,221K Patented S4111l 13. 1864.

Wvgvesses W A vUNITED STATES WM. II. ROBINSON AND JACOB BEHEL, OF EARLVILLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED DEVICE FOR STRETCHING THE WIRES OF FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,22 I, dated September 13,1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,W1LLiAM H. ROBINSON and J. BEHEL, of Earlville, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Wire-Stretcher; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of refr-rence marked thereon,

-forming part of this specification.

Our said invention is designed for taking up the slack in wire when used for fences, teleegraphwire, and other similar purposes. It may be either left and retained in a section of wire and used from time to time to take up and preserve the tension, or it may be employed in stretching the wire, then removed from its connection, and again applied when needed. l

The con-truction and operation of our invention will be understood from the following description and the accom pani ing drawings, the latter exhibiting its application to a wire fence. The size of the stretcher as represented is considerable exaggerated relatively to the fence, for the purpose of showing its construction more perfectly.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ot' a wire fence to which the stretcher is applied. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is an axial section through the spool.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the different drawings.

A is the Wire fence with posts and strands of wire, one of which is stretched by the stretcher, which is applied. B is the stretcher, consisting of a frame, a, made of sheet or cast metal, a spool, b, supported by a shaft, c, fitted to a square eye in the center ot' b and journaled in opposite sides of frame a. d is a ratchet` Wheel carried by shaft c e, a pawl adapted to the ratchet. The shaft c is prolonged through the frame and the end squared to receive a wrench or key to operate the stretcher, as Will transpire. fis an aperture through the spool and shaft c, and g g are apertures through the end ot frame. l

In operating the stretcher, the Wire, havin g been passed through apertures in the posts for any convenient distance, which may be sixty` or eighty (more or less) rods, the end of the wire is then passed through the aperture g in one end of frame f in the spool and through g in the opposite side of a, and then made fast to an object or post beyond. A crank or key applied to the squared end of shaft c may then be employed to rotate the spool, winding up the wireuntil the desired tension is secured. The Wire may then be fastened by a key driven into the aperture through which the wireis passed in the nearest post, and the stretcher released and removed, or, it' preferred, the stretcher may remain applied to the wire and be used from time to time to take up the slack.

The stretcher, it" employed at suitable distances on telegraph-wires and allowed to remaimmay be used occasionally with advantage in taking up the slack, thus keeping the wire from swagging too near the ground, or to a contact with objects by which the currents would be conducted from thewire.

We are aware that devices have been employed for the purpose to which our stretcher is applied, including a cylinder or spool upon' which the slack wire is Wound up. We do not, therefore, claim, broadly, taking up the slack ot' wire by mechanical means including a cylinder or spool but What we claim as new in our improved stretcher, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is the following:

The frame a, spool b, ratchet-Wheel d, and 

